hello another newbie here hoping i can get help with a problem ive got a 1990 4runner v6 i bought with a blown head gasket ive done a complete valve job with new gaskets of course new timing belt new plugs new plug wires new cap and rotor new fuel filter and it still runs terrible starts up fine sounds good but when you drive it feels like its missing and no power very rough acceleration i went out to the edge of town and took the cat off and drove it a little thinking it might be plugged but no difference now im thinking it might be a sensor or something like that i bought a timing light and set the timing with a paper clip shorting out the check connector i unplugged the tps drives the same unplugged the maf and it wont run stumped dont know what to do next and sensors are to expensive to just start changing plus theres no check engine light any help would be appreciated thanks

 

I know it sounds simple but r u sure the plug wires r run correctly , and after a rebuild the fuel filter has been known to get plugged up quick after a gas tank has been sitting for a while , just a though . Does it run and idle perfectly and only f up when your driving , if so it could be your clutch , GOOD LUCK

 

knock sensor?

 

wait, no that would throw a code. nvm.

 

Check the TPS operation and get that dialed in, then set your timing and idle speed.
And make sure you set the idle speed and timing with the engine fully warmed up.

 

sounds like the 3VZE I know and love

 

ive changed it once but i will change it again ive already got another one,and i do have to push the clutch all the way to the floor to change gears and sometimes its still a little rough i never thought about clutch slippage thanks

 

im not sure how to dial in the tps but ill get a manual and ill reset the timing and idle with it fully warmed up thanks

 

Did you check your valve clearances after the valve job? I did the same thing and had 3 exhaust hanging open a thou or so.

 

I bought a 92 with blown heads. Changed everything out. Timing belt, thermostat,waterpump, plugs, plug wires. It ran like crap, felt like the truck was under load, or pulling a trailer. We pulled the cat off to see if it was plugged, checked the TPS, egr, everything was good to go, but the truck had ABSOLUTLY NO POWER. No juice at all to go up hills. We advanced the timing and it made a world of difference. It was night and day. Took her out to Big Bear last weekend and not a problem at all going up the grades.

 

the truck does run better if i advance the timing, now how would i check to see if i have a valve hanging open ? compression check? that sounds like a possibility because i have popping noise coming from the passenger side of the engine like an exhaust leak but tightened everything and really cant find where its coming from

 

the truck is set at 10 degrees how far advanced can i safely go before damaging things?

 

I would not go more than 3 degrees BTC.

 

haaa... you can go to 18 before it starts doing funky stuff. i run mine at 10-12, toyota says to run it at 8. where did you come up with 3? are you nuts?

 

Sorry, I frased it wrong, 10 degrees BTC is stock. so 3 degrees before stock, total of 13 BTC.

 

i thought that was probably what u meant but i wasn't sure. lol i don't think mine would even run at 3 and if it did it would barely move under its own power.

 

I have mine advanced by 5 degrees.

 

If you can't get it running well at 10, no point in advancing it any farther.

 

Call me an idiot, but nowhere did I see you say that you've gone through and brought all the valve adjustments into spec.

 

good point... yeah i hope he did that or its going to be a PITA to go back in.